Traffic indicator



R. N RIBLET.

v TRAFFIC INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED !AN.27, 1921.

1,420,750; 7 Patented June 27,1922.

QOya/ hf Q/Z/lef W (fueling ROYAL N. RIBLET, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

TRAFFIC INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 27 1922,

Application filed January 27, 1921. Serial No. 440326.

To all 207mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROYAL N. RinLn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in Spokane County and State of Washington, have invented certain :new and useful Improvements in Traffic Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in traffic indicators or signals for use in automotive vehicles, and especially adapted for use in closed passenger cars of the limousine type, or in other vehicle bodies having rearwindows or openings. 'VVhile the invention is capable of adaptation for use in conjunction with other types of cars, I have herein illustrated and described one example of its application to the interior of the limousine or body of a closed car, and for convenience of description and illustration, such a type of car will be hereinafter referred to, but without limiting the scope of the invention to this particular form of the invention.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a signaling or indicating device located in the interior of the limousine or body of the closed car and visible from the rear through a window or opening, which may with facility be actuated by the driver for indicating to the tollowing'trafiic the direction to be pursued by the car, the signal or indicating device being visible by day and illuminated by night. I

To this end the invention consists in certain novelcombinations and arrangements 01" parts involving a plurality (in this instance three) of. rotatableexhibitors having tral'fic signals or indicators thereon with means automatically controlled for illuminating the displayed signalor indicator, and in certain other novel features of construc tion as will be hereinafter more tullypointed out and claimed. s

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my' invention in invention applied thereto, the Left signal being displayed from the interior oi": the car.

' Figure 2 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view of the exhibitor or housing therefor, disclosing also a battery cell for illumination purposes, and the three rotatable signal webs and their connections.

Figure 3 isa perspective view at the top of the housing with the lid or closure uplifted to disclose the electric illuminating switch and guide means for the signal webs.

Y Figured is a detail view at the top of one of the signal webs, showing the means of attaching the pull or operati'ng cord, and an end binding piece-or ferrule which co-acts with other ferrules in controlling the illuminating switch off the device.

In the preferred form :of "the invention as illustrated inthe drawings 1 have utilized the limousine or body L'of .a passenger car having -a comparatively large window W at the :rear, and within the interior of the car body the signaling device and its'operative connections are located.

In the equipment of the indicator or signaling device I preferably employ a housing or casing 1, attached :to the interior of the body of the car, adjacent to the window by means of a flange-2 to rigidly and securely support the housing or casing in which the operating parts ofthe device are inclosed. Within the housing a partition 3 is secured to form a receptacle for the battery or cell 4 which supplieselectricity for the illuminating lamp 5. While I have illustrated a cell or battery for thispurpose, it will readily be understood that the lighting system of the automobile may be employed to furnish current for illuminating the lamp, and the special lighting circuit may be connected with the carylighting system. In the illustrated form of lighting system, the arrangement is compactiand the system' is readily accessible for replenishing the'lsupp'ly of electricity bysupplying new batteries or recharging used ones. In combination with the lamp I employ a reflector plate 6 which throws the light rays toward the front'oi' the car, and at :the' same timeshieldsthe rear *of the car from the light rays, thus preventing undesirable light at the rear which would interfere with. the vision of the driverofa car following the car equipped with the signal. The reflector is a curved plate aflixed at the rear of the casing and designed to illuminate the signals or indicators, when displayed, by throwing the flight ra s from the :lamp thereon. The connection etween the battery cell i and the lamp is made at contact point 7, which is supported in the lid or closure plate 8 hinged to the casin at 9 and adapted to close the open top or the housing or casing, which is fashioned with a front compartment 10 in'front of the battery or cell 4t.

Within the compartment 10 are a plurality of spools as 11, 12 and 13, rotatably journaled in the walls of the housing in a position transverse to the longitudinal axis of the car, and spring actuated to automatically wind their respective webs 1 1, 15 and 16 which are attached thereto and springwound in manner similar to curtains, shades, etc, of well known form.

The three webs bear suitable inscriptions, the appropriate ones for the present occasion being Right, Left, and Stop, the signals be ing displayed as required in manner similar to the showing of the left signal in Figure 1, which conveys to the following traffic the intention of the driver to turn to the left. The spools or rollers 11, 12, 18 are arranged in vertical alinement in the casing and their respective webs extend upwardlyand are guided by rollers 17 properly spaced for the purpose. At the upper edge of the front wall of the casing and located centrally thereof is an outwardly bent guide plate preferably integral with the front wall of the casing and flaring outwardly therefrom as indicated at 18, which co-acts with a resilient metal arm 20 attached at one side of the casing and projected across the casing parallel with the front wall thereof. This arm has an oppositely flaring plate 21 complementary to the guide plate 18, and between these two plates the webs are movable for use. At 22 in Figure 3 on the inner face of the wall of the casing opposite the fixed end of the arm 19 is attached a stationary contact plate, against which the free end of the resilient arm engages to make the circuit for illuminating the lamp. The two guides 18 and 21 are so spaced to normally hold. the three ferrules or end strips between them and while these three, or the whole number of ferrules employed, are present between the guides, the free end of the resilient contact arm and the stationary plate are held out of frictional contact and out of electrical contact, thus main taining an open electric circuit. lVhen one of the ferrules is withdrawn from its normal position, however, the resiliency of the material of the arm causes its free end to engage the contact plate thus making the circuit through the conductor as indicated at 24.

/ The three webs are elevated to operative position by means of their respective pull cords 25, 26, 27, attached to the ferrules or strips 23, and these cords pass over guide rollers 28, 29 conveniently spaced and supported from the ceiling of the limousine toward the front of the car, the ends of the cords hanging down in accessible position for the driver and each equipped with a handle 30 for pulling thereon.

During daylight the illuminating circuit may be broken as by lifting the lid 8 to open contact between the cell and lamp, as indicated in Figure 3, and the webs, one at a time, may be lifted or elevated to position as indicated in Figure l by pulling on the required handle 30. in this manner the web is withdrawn from the roller or spool, against the tension of its return spring, and elevated above the casing or housing, where it is visible through the rear window and the inscription thereon may be read by the driver of a following vehicle. W hen the handle is released the web is automatically rewound on its spool or roller by the tension of the return sprin and the signal withdrawn from sight. it night time, or when necessary to illumine the indicator, the illuminating circuit is closed except for the contact between the resilient arm and stationary contact plate of the casing, these parts being held open by the presence between the guides 18 and 21 of the three fer rules. Now when the indicator is displayed, the removal of one ferrule from the space between these two guides permits the resilient arm and plate to contact, closing the circuit when the signal is in operative position, and the lamp 5 illuminates the signal rendering it visible from the rear. The return of the web to normal position separates the resilient arm and plate, thus breaking the circuit, through the medium of these elements forming an automatic switch or circuit breaker.

Various changes or alterations may be made in the practical application of the invention to different type cars, without departing from the spirit of my invention,and within the scope of the appended claims, and while I have illustrated one complete exam ple of the embodiment of the invention, it will. be understood that I contemplate such changes and alterations in the adaptation of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a casing, of a plurality of indicator webs each having a thickened portion an automatically re-windingspool for each web, means for withdrawing separate webs, a guide device for said webs forming one contact element, and a second contact element co-operating there with to form a normally open illuminating electric circuit and adapted to close upon the withdrawal of one of said webs. and its thickened portion from the guide device.

2. The combination with a casing having an illuminating electric lamp, of a resilient arm and a stationary contact plate forming a switch in the lamp circuit, a plurality of indicator webs each having an automatically rewinding spool in said casing, said webs located between said arm and the casing means on each web to normally hold the switch open, and means for withdrawing a single web to permit said switch to close for the purpose described.

3. The combination with a casing having an electric lamp and circuit, of a resilient arm having a guide plate and a stationary contact plate adjacent the free end of said arm forming a switch in said circuit, a complementary guide plate on the casing, a plurality of indicator webs each having an automatically rewinding spool in said casing and passed between said complementary guide 1 plates, a ferrule and a pull cord for each 1 web whereby the normally open switch is closed upon withdrawal of a web and its ferrule through said guide plates.

at. The combination with a casing having an electric lamp and normally open circuit including a movable contact element, of an indicator web having an end ferrule and means for withdrawing said web from the casing, a mechanical guide for said web forming a second contact element, and said guide adapted to close the circuit upon withdrawal of said web and its ferrule from the casing.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

ROYAL N. RIBLET. 

